Entertainment
HBCU Students Answer the call of Michelle Obama “Do Something” with “I Aspire” Mobile Challenge
The “My VOICE, My VIEW, My VOTE” Digital Shorts Launches Social Change Initiative for the Next Generation of Filmmakers
Michelle Obama
WASHINGTON /PRNewswire/ — At the Democratic National convention, former first lady Michelle Obama’s encouragement that people tap into their power to “do something” about injustices are still reverberating across the nation. Students at Howard University can recall a similar urgency last year when Barack and Michelle Obama presented Rustin, the Netflix biopic about Bayard Rustin, the architect of the August 28, 1963’s momentous March on Washington. They spoke of being a voice for change and how one act can make a difference during the inaugural 2023 HBCU First LOOK Film Festival.
This year, student filmmakers are inspired to make an impact by submitting a digital short for the My VOICE, My VIEW, My VOTE I Aspire mobile challenge for the 2024 HBCU First LOOK Film Festival at Howard University. By answering how they will be ‘The Next’ changemaker in their community, directors must capture a digital short of :59sec or less on their mobile devices and submit it on social media (Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube Short, Threads). Entries must include the hashtag, #IAspireChallenge when uploaded to social media. Three place finalists will be awarded 1st, 2nd and 3rd place prizes and announced in October 2024. Each winner will be featured at the 2024 HBCU First LOOK Film Festival taking place November 8-10.
With the Democratic nominee for President of the United States being a graduate of an HBCU and a proud alumnus of Howard University — this historic moment in history aligns with HBCU First LOOK Film Festival’s theme: “A Celebration of Black Cinema X Activism.” Since the March on Washington, when Black actors linked arms with civil rights leaders in the fight for racial equality, Hollywood stars have used their power to galvanize for equal rights. And today is no different, HBCU alums in arts and entertainment have built bridges for the next generation to be the change in their communities with their vote.
The 2nd HBCU First LOOK Film Festival (HBCUFLF) will take place on November 8-10, 2024 at Howard University in Washington, D.C. This year’s highlights include the ‘I Aspire’ 100 List, HBCU First LOOK App; the source for the intersection of Black cinema and activism; HBCU First LOOK Film Challenge will be announced with a host of entertainment industry leaders, filmmakers, speakers and participants, screenings with the Beyond the Lights! Career & Vendor Lounge. Sponsors and media partners include AARP, Café Mocha Network, Howard University Television + Film. Howard University Television (WHUT), HBCUGO.TV, Howard University Radio Network SiriusXM Channel 142 and L.A.I. Communications
Social platforms @hbcufirstlook #hbcufirstlook #blackfilmmakers #myvoiceviewvote #IAspirechallenge
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Sheila Eldridge – Sheila@milesaheadentertainment.com Visit https://www.hbcufirstlook.com/filmfestival.
SOURCE Miles Ahead Entertainment
The Bridge is a section of the STM Daily News Blog meant for diversity, offering real news stories about bona fide community efforts to perpetuate a greater good. The purpose of The Bridge is to connect the divides that separate us, fostering understanding and empathy among different groups. By highlighting positive initiatives and inspirational actions, The Bridge aims to create a sense of unity and shared purpose. This section brings to light stories of individuals and organizations working tirelessly to promote inclusivity, equality, and mutual respect. Through these narratives, readers are encouraged to appreciate the richness of diverse perspectives and to participate actively in building stronger, more cohesive communities.
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actors & performers
Harkins Theatres Announces Rob Reiner Tribute Screening on December 17
Rob Reiner Tribute: Harkins Theatres will host a special $5 screening of The American President on December 17 to honor filmmaker Rob Reiner, with all proceeds benefiting the Human Rights Campaign.
Last Updated on December 17, 2025 by Daily News Staff
Harkins Theatres Announces Rob Reiner Tribute Screening of The American President
Harkins Theatres has announced a special one-day tribute screening honoring acclaimed filmmaker Rob Reiner, celebrating his life’s work and cinematic legacy.
On December 17, select Harkins locations will screen Reiner’s 1995 political romance The American President, with all proceeds benefiting the Human Rights Campaign. Tickets are priced at $5, making the event both an accessible film experience and a charitable fundraiser.
The tribute was announced via Harkins’ official, verified social media accounts and is positioned as a legacy celebration, not a memorial.
🎥 Why The American President?
Released in 1995 and written by Aaron Sorkin, The American President stars Michael Douglas and Annette Bening and remains one of Rob Reiner’s most politically resonant films. The movie blends romance, idealism, and civic responsibility — themes that have consistently appeared throughout Reiner’s career.
The film later served as a creative blueprint for The West Wing, cementing its place in modern political storytelling.
📌 Event Details at a Glance
Event: Rob Reiner Tribute Screening
Film: The American President (1995)
Date: December 17
Price: $5
Where: Select Harkins Theatres
Beneficiary: Human Rights Campaign
Host: Harkins Theatres
🔗 Official Event Page:
https://www.harkins.com/movies/the-american-president-a-rob-reiner-tribute
🎞️ Rob Reiner’s Lasting Impact
Rob Reiner’s career spans more than five decades, including landmark films such as:
This Is Spinal Tap
Stand By Me
The Princess Bride
When Harry Met Sally…
Misery
A Few Good Men
His work is often praised for balancing entertainment, empathy, and social conscience, making tribute events like this especially meaningful to longtime audiences.
Hollywood vs. Reality: How LA’s Wilshire Subway Was Really Built
https://stmdailynews.com/wilshire-subway-tunneling-hollywood-vs-reality/
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actors & performers
Hollywood Legend Rob Reiner and Wife Found Dead; Son in Custody
Renowned filmmaker Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, were found dead in their Los Angeles home in a reported homicide. Police have arrested their son in connection with the case, and tributes are pouring in.
Last Updated on December 16, 2025 by Daily News Staff
Director Rob Reiner participates in a discussion following a screening of the film LBJ at the LBJ Presidential Library in Austin, Texas on Saturday October 22, 2016
On Saturday evening October 22, 2016, the LBJ Presidential Library held a sneak peek of Rob Reiner’s new filmÊLBJ, starring Woody Harrelson as the 36th president. The film, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, chronicles the life and times of Lyndon Johnson who would inherit the presidency at one of the most fraught moments in American history.
Following the screening, director Rob Reiner, actor Woody Harrelson, and writer Joey Hartstone joined LBJ Library Director Mark Updegrove on stage for a conversation about the film.
LBJ Library photo by Jay Godwin
10/22/2016
Hollywood Legend Rob Reiner and Wife Found Dead; Son in Custody
December 15, 2025
Renowned filmmaker and actor Rob Reiner, 78, and his wife Michele Singer Reiner, 68, were found dead in their Brentwood, Los Angeles home on Sunday, authorities say. Emergency responders were called to the residence Sunday afternoon, where both were discovered with fatal wounds consistent with a stabbing. Police are treating the case as a double homicide.
Los Angeles police arrested the couple’s 32-year-old son, Nick Reiner, in connection with the deaths. He is being held in custody as investigators continue to piece together the circumstances surrounding the incident.
2016 SAMHSA Voice Awards
Reiner was one of Hollywood’s most influential figures, known for his work as a director, producer and actor. His career spanned decades, from early television fame to directing beloved films that shaped American cinema.
Friends, colleagues and public figures have begun sharing tributes and reactions to the news as the investigation is ongoing.
More details will be updated as they become available.
The Inspiring Legacy of Raymond E. Fowler: A Journey into the UnknownLink: https://stmdailynews.com/the-inspiring-legacy-of-raymond-e-fowler-a-journey-into-the-unknown/
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Entertainment
Hollywood vs. Reality: How LA’s Wilshire Subway Was Really Built
Wilshire Subway: Did LA blast subway tunnels under Wilshire Boulevard? Hollywood says yes — engineers say no. Here’s how Metro safely tunneled beneath Miracle Mile.
When the 1997 disaster film Volcano depicted lava erupting along Wilshire Boulevard and referenced blasting during Red Line subway construction, it delivered gripping cinema — but not accurate engineering.
In reality, Los Angeles Metro did not rely on large-scale blasting to construct subway tunnels beneath Wilshire Boulevard and the Miracle Mile. Instead, engineers used tunnel boring machines (TBMs) specifically to avoid the very risks Hollywood dramatized.
Why Blasting Was Avoided
The Wilshire Corridor sits atop historic oil fields, making methane gas pockets a known and serious concern. A deadly methane explosion near Fairfax Avenue in 1985 led to heightened scrutiny of underground construction in the area. Blasting in such conditions could have caused unpredictable gas releases, ground instability, or damage to surface structures.
As a result, Metro engineers chose pressurized, closed-face tunnel boring machines, which allow for:
Controlled excavation in dense urban environments
Continuous ground support to prevent settlement
Integrated gas detection and ventilation systems
These machines grind slowly through soil and rock while installing precast concrete tunnel linings, creating a sealed, gas-resistant structure as they advance. 
The Real Engineering Feat
Although Volcano took creative liberties for dramatic effect, the true story of tunneling under Wilshire is no less impressive. Advances in TBM technology and methane mitigation ultimately allowed the Metro D Line (formerly the Red Line/Purple Line) to safely pass through one of Los Angeles’ most geologically complex corridors — without explosions, collapsing streets, or cinematic chaos.
Bottom Line
Volcano remains a memorable piece of 1990s disaster cinema, but its portrayal of subway construction is fiction. The real achievement lies in decades of careful planning, modern tunneling technology, and engineering solutions that quietly reshaped Los Angeles beneath its busiest boulevard.
Related Links:
- LA Metro – D Line (Purple Line) Extension Project
- Engineering News-Record: Tunneling Through Gas and Tar in LA
- Los Angeles Times Archive: Methane Risk and Subway Construction
Dreambreaker: A Pickleball Story — A Closer Look at the Documentary and Its Uncredited VoiceLink: https://stmdailynews.com/dreambreaker-a-pickleball-story-a-closer-look-at-the-documentary-and-its-uncredited-voice/
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